ARTICLES ABOUT LINEBACKER BY DATE - PAGE 3

Returning to familiar territory produced a positive result for Jonathan Brown. The former Illinois linebacker improved all of his numbers from the NFL scouting combine during Thursday's pro day workout in Champaign. “It was a lot more relaxed environment today,” Brown said. “I felt comfortable being here. The combine was a big experience. It was a big interview. My focus for today was steady improvement. I can't say anything bad about the day.” Brown shaved significant time off his 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.85 seconds compared with 5.03 at the combine.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Bears understand Shea McClellin's importance to their defensive rebuilding project. Maximizing their 2012 first-round pick's production seems a necessity and a reasonable expectation for a unit that set a club record last season for most yards allowed. General manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman aren't exactly hitting the reset button on McClellin's career by moving him from defensive end to strong-side linebacker, but it's clear they're confident the move will tap McClellin's potential and turn him into the type of disruptive playmaker who the Bears hope can help restore their defense.

The Sports Xchange Two Mississippi linebackers arrested Mississippi linebackers Denzel Nkemdiche and Serderius Bryant were arrested over the weekend, the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., reported. Nkemdiche was charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and failure to comply with a police officer Saturday night, Oxford Police Chief Joey East told the paper. Those charges represent misdemeanors. Nkemdiche celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday, and the arrest took place at The Retreat, an Oxford apartment complex occupied primarily by students.

Fenwick football coach Gene Nudo tried to convince Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin to recruit his tight end, Ryan Smith . Martin left Notre Dame to become the head coach at Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference in December. He's bringing Smith with him. And his good friend Richard Schoen, too. Smith, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound grandson of Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lattner, signed a national letter of intent to play for Miami last week. Smith's cousin, running back/linebacker Robert Spillane, signed with Western Michigan, while Schoen was offered preferred walk-on status at Miami.

NEW YORK, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Offensive tackle Walter Jones and linebacker Derrick Brooks joined Ray Guy, the first punter to win enshrinement, as part of a seven-man Class of 2014 elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Wide receiver Andre Reed, defensive ends Michael Strahan and Claude Humphrey and defensive back Aeneas Williams joined Jones and Brooks, who were elected in their first year of eligibility Humphrey and Guy were Veterans Committee candidates. Jones, a stalwart at left tackle for the Seattle Seahawks, made the first- or second-team All-Pro list six times and the Pro Bowl nine times.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Shea McClellin won't be the first first-round pick from 2012 to be shifted from defensive end to linebacker. The Seahawks made that move this season with Bruce Irvin after he led all rookies last season with eight sacks. While Irvin hasn't been as productive as a pass rusher in his new role, he's starting on the strong side, and the shift has allowed his team to get more athletes on the field for the NFL's No. 1 defense as it heads to Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Peter Mokwuah, a defensive tackle from Staten Island, N.Y., flipped his oral commitment from Rutgers to Notre Dame, according to multiple reports. Mokwuah is a three-star prospect, according to rivals.com. Meanwhile, three-star linebacker Richard Yeargin III from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., decommitted from the Notre Dame, according to multiple reports. The Irish have 22 commitments in the class of 2014. chine@tribune.com Twitter @christopherhine

MOBILE, Ala. - The Bears contingent arrived here for this week's Senior Bowl preparation with two vacancies on coach Marc Trestman 's staff and will return to Chicago with both filled. After agreeing to bring longtime college head coach and former NFL assistant Paul Pasqualoni onto their defensive staff earlier in the week, the Bears now are finalizing a deal to add Reggie Herring as their linebackers coach, two league sources told the Tribune on Wednesday evening. Herring, 54, spent the last three seasons as the linebackers coach for the Texans and had the same position with the Cowboys from 2008-10.

Two weeks after Mel Tucker's defense couldn't communicate or play till the whistle, Tucker learned he was going to keep his job. Marc Trestman decided Tucker's joke of a defense was Tucker's fault. But the Bears still needed a scapegoat to pay for the historically bad defense. They found two. I don't know Mike Phair or Tim Tibesar, but really, the Bears couldn't go wrong firing anybody coaching that side of the ball. It looks like they started up front and quickly moved to the next level, just like your garden-variety running back, and then stopped firing people because they didn't want to pay more coaches while hiring others to replace them.

With drastic improvements needed and an overhaul expected to the Bears' suddenly shaky defense, coordinator Mel Tucker will get his shot at turning things around. In a statement released Sunday, the Bears announced Tucker will return in 2014 but will do so with two changes to his staff. Defensive line coach Mike Phair and linebackers coach Tim Tibesar were let go Sunday. So now coach Marc Trestman proceeds with two vacancies on his staff yet obvious belief in the aptitude and energy Tucker can use to spark a turnaround.